Fiber optic networks oftentimes include a number of nodes or housings through which one or more optical fibers extend. Within each of these housings, it is desirable for the optical fibers to be routed or managed in a controlled fashion to reduce snarling of the optical fibers and to facilitate access to the other components within the housing. For example, many fiber optic networks include optical receiver nodes in which incoming optical signals transmitted via one or more optical fibers are converted to electrical signals prior to subsequent processing and/or further transmission. As known to those skilled in the art, optical receiver nodes are commonly mounted on the exterior of buildings or on utility poles so as to convert optical signals which have typically been optically transmitted over long distances by one or more optical fibers to electrical signals for subsequent distribution throughout the building. Optical receiver nodes therefore generally include one or more printed circuit boards mounted within the housing for converting the optical signals delivered by the optical fibers to corresponding electrical signals and for thereafter electronically processing the signals, if so desired.
In order to provide some form of optical fiber management, conventional optical receiver nodes typically include a fiber organizer. A conventional fiber organizer includes a metal plate mounted within the housing. The conventional fiber organizer includes a slack loop defined by a number of fingers extending upwardly from the metal plate such that excess or slack lengths of optical fiber can be wrapped about the fingers in order to provide excess optical fiber, such as for reconnectorization or other reworking of the optical fiber. In order to secure the optical fiber in position, each finger generally includes a flange portion that extends over the optical fiber for preventing the optical fiber from slipping off of the finger or otherwise becoming dislodged. Since the slack loop of a conventional fiber organizer is defined by a number of fingers, typically about eight fingers, spaced about the circumference of the slack loop, the optical fiber is forced to bend somewhat as the optical fiber is looped about the fingers. Thus, the slack loop defined by the upwardly extending fingers is not a smooth curve, but is, instead, formed by a number of discrete, almost linear, segments.
While the slack loop defined by a conventional fiber organizer prevents the optical fibers from being bent excessively, the conventional fiber organizer did not provide similar radius control for those portions of the optical fibers leading into or out of the slack loop. Thus, the portions of the optical fibers leading into and out of the slack loop could be excessively bent, thereby damaging the transmission characteristics of the optical fibers. Moreover, the portions of the optical fibers leading into and out of the slack loop oftentimes hung or otherwise extended over the printed circuit boards within an optical receiver node. As such, the optical fibers limited access to the printed circuit boards, such as by limiting access to the test ports defined by the printed circuit boards which otherwise would permit a technician to evaluate the performance of the optical receiver node.
A conventional fiber organizer also generally includes a bulkhead extending upwardly from one end of the fiber organizer. The bulkhead defines a single window for receiving a connector sleeve in which a pair of connectors, such as a pair of SC connectors, can be mated. By permitting the interconnection of only a single pair of connectors, however, a conventional fiber organizer effectively limits the number of optical fibers which can be managed thereby.
While the printed circuit boards are generally arranged about the periphery of the fiber organizer within a conventional optical receiver node, the fiber organizer does overlie at least some portions of the printed circuit boards. In addition, the fiber organizer typically overlies the power supply within a conventional optical receiver node. As such, the fiber organizer must be removed each time the power supply is serviced or is otherwise accessed. Since the fiber organizer is generally mounted within the node by two or more fasteners, such as two or more bolts, removal of a conventional fiber organizer is somewhat time consuming and must be performed in a careful manner in order to protect the optical fibers from excessive strain or other undesirable forces which could potentially disconnect the optical fibers from the associated printed circuit boards. Therefore, even though fiber organizers have been developed for managing, i.e., routing, the optical fibers within a housing, such as an optical receiver node, conventional fiber organizers suffer from a number of deficiencies which limit their effectiveness as described above.